Last year at this time, goalkeeper Clint Irwin came into camp as the Rapids’ No. 1 goalkeeper, with Matt Pickens an “excused absence” on trial in Norway. But, as Colorado Rapids begin the first day of 2015 training on Friday, the starting goalkeeper position is up for grabs.

Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin.

Rapids goalkeeper coach Chris Sharpe said this week that it will be an open competition between 26-year-old Irwin, 23-year-old John Berner and the recently acquired 23-year-old Zac MacMath.

David Beckham, right, with his son Brooklyn after a Galaxy-Rapids game in Colorado in 2012. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

English soccer club Arsenal has signed Brooklyn Beckham, the 15-year-old son of legendary striker and former L.A. Galaxy star David Beckham, according to England’s The Daily Star.

The younger Beckham “is talented and he has stood out in all of the training sessions and games he has played” and “really has potential” a source told The Daily Star.

According to the report, there are plans for a long-term deal next summer if he continues to play well.

David Beckham, who trained with Arsenal a couple summers ago to stay in shape, has often been seen at Emirates Stadium with his three sons. The middle one, Romeo, 12, plays on the club’s Under-13 team, while the youngest, Cruz, 9, is said to have already turned heads on the Under-10 team.

Rapids President Tim Hinchey said Tuesday the club is looking to add an attacking player this offseason as the club’s second designated player in team history.

The timeline on when a DP deal could get done, however, may take some time to develop. The MLS expansion draft is on Dec. 10, and the league’s new collective bargaining agreement should be in place by the end of December or beginning of January.

With the new eight-year TV deal (worth an estimated $90 million per season, about triple the previous contract) taking effect next year, chances are good that MLS clubs will have more money to spend this offseason — on better players. And the expansion draft has potential to shake up the Rapids’ roster.

A tweet that placed blame on the Rapids front office for the club’s recent struggles apparently did not sit well with team officials and led to the firing last week of beat writer Chris Bianchi, according to e-mails obtained by The Denver Post.

“Say it once, say it again: Front office deserves much more blame than coaching staff,” Bianchi tweeted from his @Rapids_News account on Oct. 7, in a reply to a fan who was voicing his faith in the front office to get the Rapids back on the winning path.

The tweet drew the ire of Rapids’ President Tim Hinchey, who fired off an e-mail to Bianchi demanding an explanation.

The mlssoccer.com beat writer provided a series of emails to The Denver Post that were exchanges with Hinchey. Bianchi defended his opinion that a lack of defensive depth, inaction during the summer transfer window and the decision to part with midfielder Martin Rivero were more to blame for the Rapids’ lengthy winless streak (now at 13 games) than the “growing pains” of first-year coach Pablo Mastroeni.

Commerce City — Oscar Pareja caused some problems for the Rapids when he changed his mind and resigned as their coach last December to take the job at FC Dallas, but he takes no enjoyment in their collapse this season.

FCD beat the Rapids 1-0 Saturday, leaving Colorado with an 8-17-8 record with one game remaining in its season. FCD moved into third place in the Western Conference.

“I’m glad you asked me that,” Pareja said after the game. “The friends that I have here, the club, the way that they treat me, the players and everything that I leave here, it was incredible. There’s obviously feeling there. I will always wish the best for this club and for that group of players. I know they’re working hard and things will turn around for the club.”

What will the Rapids’ relationship with Arsenal look like moving forward?

It’s a question that could begin to get answers this week as Rapids President Tim Hinchey and Vice President of Soccer Operations Paul Bravo are in England to meet with Ivan Gazidis, chief executive of Arsenal.

Hinchey said one thing discussed at the meeting would be how the two clubs can further collaborate in a meaningful way.

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke watches from the stands during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield in February. (Michael Regan, Getty Images)

Stan Kroenke, the owner of five U.S. professional sports teams — including the Nuggets, Avalanche, Rapids and Mammoth in Colorado — and the majority shareholder of Arsenal, took out dividends worth $4.9 million from the English soccer club, infuriating its ardent fans.

According to Arsenal’s latest account records (see below), the $4.9 million (£3 million) was paid to Kroenke’s company for “strategic and advisory services” related to the soccer club’s broadband division. But it’s the same amount that was raised by a 3 percent increase in season-ticket prices for the 2014-15 season.

In short, the extra money fans are paying to watch their beloved team is going straight into the pockets of Kroenke.

Orlando City won a draw today over New York City FC and will pick first in the upcoming MLS expansion draft for the 2015 season.

I spoke with Rapids Vice President of Soccer Operations Paul Bravo last week, and he said the Rapids have already begun internal talks on which 11 players the club plans to protect.

Homegrown and Generation Adidas players are automatically protected, so that means Shane O’Neill, Dillon Serna and Davy Amrstrong (homegrown) along with Marlon Hairston (Generation Adidas) will be safe, along with 11 other players, Bravo said.

According to the report, the Charlotte Eagles of the USL Pro are moving down to the Premier Developmental League (PDL), after a group headed by pro lacrosse executive Jim McPhilliamy bought the USL Pro rights from the Eagles. A new Charlotte-based USL Pro club will be announced Wednesday and will share a stadium with the Charlotte Hounds, the ownership group’s Major League Lacrosse franchise.

The report in the Observer stated:

McPhilliamy said the USL Pro team is finalizing a deal to have an affiliate partnership with the MLS’ Colorado Rapids.

Scotland’s midfielder and captain Darren Fletcher, center, takes part in a training session of the Scottish national football team in Dortmund, western Germany on Sept. 6, 2014. (John MacDougall, Getty Images)

Darren Fletcher is captain of Scotland’s national soccer team, but when it comes time to decide his nation’s independence, the Manchester United midfielder will be watching from the sideline.

Daniel was first introduced to soccer at age 6 while living in Düsseldorf, West Germany. He played youth soccer in West Germany until age 9, and then in Seattle, where he is originally from. He works as the day breaking news editor and also contributes on the Rapids beat.